Today (Monday) has been rather stressful! Getting the packing finished for my trip to Dubai was one things, but having problems with my computer was quite another! However, I am still very excited about the trip. Last week, my friend Steve mailed me to say that there might be a car I can borrow while i am out there - which would mean I can drive inland to the mountains. I have been looking at them on Google Earth - they are impressive, as are the huge dunes East of Dubai.
Christ Church Stannington
I really enjoyed my visit to this church, where Philip, my spiritual director is vicar. I was amongst a congregation of around 80 people with a good range of ages. Some songs were led by a worship group - electric piano and guitars - and the rest by the organ.
At the beginning we had a lovely little liturgy which involved the children. We reflected on God's light and a child lit the candles, the bible and bible was brought forward, finally the cross and the cross was brought forward. Philip welcomed us and said that if we were worshiping with flags we had to stand away from other people - sure enough a number of people and most of the children waves large flags as we sang the first song! There about a dozen children present, who then went out to their classes.
The form of Communion service was very much like ours at St Paul's, apart from the confession prayer which came later in the service - after the prayers - and this worked really well. Philip has a delightfully relaxed manner, drawing us into a meeting with God, and getting on with what was important - I noticed that he took quite a bit of time to pray during the hymn before he preached - leaving us to do the singing!
The sermon was about the lack of love in our world today. We focus on comfort and achievement, but are losing the art of loving people - and this causes so much heart ache. The reading promised that God will love us when we love Jesus - so lets get on and do that. Philip spoke from his own experiences and told us a lovely story of God's love in action and then challenged us to find ways to loving Jesus by making his love known.
I went this week in the month as I know they had laying on of hands and prayer for healing. This worked very naturally. As we came up for Communion we went one side just for bread and wine, and the other for bread, wine and prayer! It was so easy to receive this brief but meaningful prayer and lots of people took the opportunity. Pairs of people (including Philip) did the praying for people - without asking the specific need, so you didn't have to say anything. Though you could go into the vestry for more prayer after the service if you wanted.
The church building was reordered about ten years ago and has a good sense of space and the congregation gathering for worship around the (rounded) dais. After the service we went over the road for coffee in the church hall. It was a shame it was raining, but next week I will probably be longing for shade - it is hot and sunny every day in Dubai!
The next post will be from Dubai - I hope! It depends a little on the computer working properly!!
Monday, 28 April 2008
Tuesday, 22 April 2008
Sunday 21st April
Holy Trinity Millhouses and St Oswald Millhouses
Last Sunday was not brilliant one for my church attendance! I had something else to do in the morning, so tried to go to a reflective service in the evening - advertised on the church's web page - but it was obviously not happening - the doors were locked!
So today I joined the morning congregation at Holy Trinity Millhouses. There was a good number present - over 80 I counted. Mainly elderly, but a good few young families and children. It was a traditional communion service following common worship. We sang gently the hymns and choral parts of the service, led by the organ, with a good sound coming from the male dominated robed choir . In fact there were a good proportion of men all around!
Worship was led by the vicar Peter Ingram and his curate Sarah Hills and a speaker from the Children's Society preached. I know one or two people who go to Holy Trinity, so it was nice to be welcomed by them. Peter and Sarah have great personal warmth which lighten the formality of the worship and give a good welcoming atmosphere.
This was traditional Anglican worship done well - evidenced by the fact that two retired Archdeacons and a retired Bishop worship here.
I was impressed by the way the children were catered for, with activities in church - permanently set up, a creche well signed and I assume Sunday School in the church hall. Peter made a point on including the children towards the end of the service.
What stays with me is the beauty to the building. The church is described as 'a gem of the arts and crafts moment'. It has graceful arches, and delightfully stained glass windows in pastel shades. Everything holds together - including some fine modern fabrics which are in keeping with the architecture.
Afterwards I was invited over for coffee in their very pleasant church hall, which is clearly used a lot during the week by parent and toddler groups who are linked with the church. There was certainly a good sense of life and confidence around the church.
In the evening I attended Reflective Space at St Oswald's - and it did happen!
About 16 of us sat in a circle of chairs in the centre of the dark building bathed in gentle light and surrounded by candles. There were more candles up by the high altar - all very grand and atmospheric. Again I wish I had taken a camera!
Our time was led by the curate Iain Lothian. He helped us think about beauty and colour, with the aim of deepening our awareness of God's beauty all around us and in everyday things. The main activity was listening to a number of pieces of music - played on the piano for us - and then thinking which colour they made us think of. We then had some readings to help us think about this colour and some things to look at set out on the circular carpet around which we sat.
Afterwards we went downstairs to the crypt for a drink and food.
The style was gentle and inclusive. Iain told me that around 40 people attend the times but not each month. Some from the congregation at St Oswald's, some from other churches and some who do not worship anywhere else. I have to say that I struggled to think of our time was worship - and maybe it was not supposed to be. It was a good space to meet with God in prayer and we were certainly encouraged to think intuitively which is one of the keys to a deeper relationship with God.
Just a note about the fact that these two neighbouring churches both has curates. This is very unusual these days!! I was struck by how much more can happen when there are additional staff, but I won't be holding my breath for a curate!
I am just a week from my trip to Dubai now and getting very excited!
Last Sunday was not brilliant one for my church attendance! I had something else to do in the morning, so tried to go to a reflective service in the evening - advertised on the church's web page - but it was obviously not happening - the doors were locked!
So today I joined the morning congregation at Holy Trinity Millhouses. There was a good number present - over 80 I counted. Mainly elderly, but a good few young families and children. It was a traditional communion service following common worship. We sang gently the hymns and choral parts of the service, led by the organ, with a good sound coming from the male dominated robed choir . In fact there were a good proportion of men all around!
Worship was led by the vicar Peter Ingram and his curate Sarah Hills and a speaker from the Children's Society preached. I know one or two people who go to Holy Trinity, so it was nice to be welcomed by them. Peter and Sarah have great personal warmth which lighten the formality of the worship and give a good welcoming atmosphere.
This was traditional Anglican worship done well - evidenced by the fact that two retired Archdeacons and a retired Bishop worship here.
I was impressed by the way the children were catered for, with activities in church - permanently set up, a creche well signed and I assume Sunday School in the church hall. Peter made a point on including the children towards the end of the service.
What stays with me is the beauty to the building. The church is described as 'a gem of the arts and crafts moment'. It has graceful arches, and delightfully stained glass windows in pastel shades. Everything holds together - including some fine modern fabrics which are in keeping with the architecture.
Afterwards I was invited over for coffee in their very pleasant church hall, which is clearly used a lot during the week by parent and toddler groups who are linked with the church. There was certainly a good sense of life and confidence around the church.
In the evening I attended Reflective Space at St Oswald's - and it did happen!
About 16 of us sat in a circle of chairs in the centre of the dark building bathed in gentle light and surrounded by candles. There were more candles up by the high altar - all very grand and atmospheric. Again I wish I had taken a camera!
Our time was led by the curate Iain Lothian. He helped us think about beauty and colour, with the aim of deepening our awareness of God's beauty all around us and in everyday things. The main activity was listening to a number of pieces of music - played on the piano for us - and then thinking which colour they made us think of. We then had some readings to help us think about this colour and some things to look at set out on the circular carpet around which we sat.
Afterwards we went downstairs to the crypt for a drink and food.
The style was gentle and inclusive. Iain told me that around 40 people attend the times but not each month. Some from the congregation at St Oswald's, some from other churches and some who do not worship anywhere else. I have to say that I struggled to think of our time was worship - and maybe it was not supposed to be. It was a good space to meet with God in prayer and we were certainly encouraged to think intuitively which is one of the keys to a deeper relationship with God.
Just a note about the fact that these two neighbouring churches both has curates. This is very unusual these days!! I was struck by how much more can happen when there are additional staff, but I won't be holding my breath for a curate!
I am just a week from my trip to Dubai now and getting very excited!
Sunday, 13 April 2008
This week seems to have flown by! And I am pleased to say that I do feel really detached from what is going on over the road at St Paul's.
The main event has been the sudden appearance of tree surgeons who have taken taken down two trees in the vicarage garden. The first was a sycamore which was in the way - they are not nice trees. The main problem was the great big ash tree that hung huge boughs over the gennel and was in the habit of shedding branches in storms. We have been worried about it for years, and as part our inspection this year the Diocese took the view that it was best to remove it. It turned out to be rotten inside, so this was clearly the right decision.
Our lovely beach tree remains in pride of place, and looks better, if anything, now that it is not crowded in by the other trees.
We were pleased to have the work done, but it is good to have the garden to ourselves again, and not filled with branches lying ready to be taken away. Mind you, a lot of the grass is still covered with sawdust they did not manage to scrape up, so it will be a while before it is looking as it should.
On Thursday I went over to see my spiritual director and had a chat with him about how churches have been influenced by the spirituality movement. At his church there is reflective worship each week, on a weekday evening. Sunday worship has also been influenced, with more time for silence - even if they are only very short silences in Family Worship say.
The main effect, we reflected, was freeing leaders from the curse of doing things because they 'aught to be done' . This effects different people in different ways. For some it is following the rules of the church to the letter, for others it is following the code of their particular tradition within the church.
The result of being freed is a great trust in God. Trusting God to provide for the things which need to be done, and leaving the things which are just not possible for the time being - however desirable they might be in theory. Trust is at the very heart of the Christian faith, but it is a very heard thing to achieve - worry comes so much more naturally to us!!
At the heart of the spirituality movement is a deep conviction that we are loved by God, and that this love transcends all else. Most branches of the church talk about God's love, but I am not sure that many allow it to so deeply effect them.
It is so good to have time to think, and to read up on things - I am still reading up on St John of the Cross and his dark night of the soul. It is about finding God in those difficult times in our lives - and why God allows us to go through them. Yes even finding God's loving purpose in these hard times. But more of that anon!
The main event has been the sudden appearance of tree surgeons who have taken taken down two trees in the vicarage garden. The first was a sycamore which was in the way - they are not nice trees. The main problem was the great big ash tree that hung huge boughs over the gennel and was in the habit of shedding branches in storms. We have been worried about it for years, and as part our inspection this year the Diocese took the view that it was best to remove it. It turned out to be rotten inside, so this was clearly the right decision.
Our lovely beach tree remains in pride of place, and looks better, if anything, now that it is not crowded in by the other trees.
We were pleased to have the work done, but it is good to have the garden to ourselves again, and not filled with branches lying ready to be taken away. Mind you, a lot of the grass is still covered with sawdust they did not manage to scrape up, so it will be a while before it is looking as it should.
On Thursday I went over to see my spiritual director and had a chat with him about how churches have been influenced by the spirituality movement. At his church there is reflective worship each week, on a weekday evening. Sunday worship has also been influenced, with more time for silence - even if they are only very short silences in Family Worship say.
The main effect, we reflected, was freeing leaders from the curse of doing things because they 'aught to be done' . This effects different people in different ways. For some it is following the rules of the church to the letter, for others it is following the code of their particular tradition within the church.
The result of being freed is a great trust in God. Trusting God to provide for the things which need to be done, and leaving the things which are just not possible for the time being - however desirable they might be in theory. Trust is at the very heart of the Christian faith, but it is a very heard thing to achieve - worry comes so much more naturally to us!!
At the heart of the spirituality movement is a deep conviction that we are loved by God, and that this love transcends all else. Most branches of the church talk about God's love, but I am not sure that many allow it to so deeply effect them.
It is so good to have time to think, and to read up on things - I am still reading up on St John of the Cross and his dark night of the soul. It is about finding God in those difficult times in our lives - and why God allows us to go through them. Yes even finding God's loving purpose in these hard times. But more of that anon!
Wednesday, 9 April 2008
Worship at St Mary's Bramall Lane and Whirlow
Sunday 6th April - St Mary's Bramall Lane and Reflective Worship at Whirlow
It was lovely to be at St Mary's! I found myself amongst a varied congregation of over sixty people and sat next to a young man in splendid African dress. The service had a very relaxed, welcoming and had a good inclusive feel, thanks in no small part to the vicar Julian's delightful style. At first a number of people were getting things ready. The number of people present grew steadily - quite a few arriving after the official start of the service.
Our singing was lead by just two people, one with a guitar and the other who sang. This worked well, but I did think how blessed we are with so many musicians and singers at St Paul's. We sang a number of songs using the overhead projector - which always gives the challenge of getting the right verses visible at the right time, but that didn't matter as we were singing songs from the sixties and seventies which people knew well.
Michael Jarratt, a retired vicar, preached a lovely sermon, short, direct and with a very personal feel. He was saying that after Jesus rose from the dead his appearances where specific to people needs who he met, and how we too can meet Jesus in our times of need.
There were lots of children at St Mary's! They stayed with us for the first few songs, and then went out to their classes, returning for a blessing at communion.
The notice sheet was attractive and informative - spread over two sides of an A4 sheet.
The words of the service were in a custom made booklet (like ours) and were used very sparingly, creatively and with a lot of opportunity for us, the congregation, to join in.
The church has chairs arranged like ours and the altar was brought near us for communion. I was impressed that Julian was not at the front on the dais all the time, but moved around us in the service leading from different places. (I wondered if I get a bit tied to my chair at the front.)
It was a really encouraging way to begin my worship away from home!
There is reflective worship in the chapel at Whirlow on the first Sunday of each month at 7.00 pm. There were not that many of us - ten of fifteen, but it had been snowing quite heavily in the previous few hours!
The worship last about forty five minutes and we were given ideas to reflect on, music to listen to and things to do in response, but most of the time we were together in silence meeting with God in our own ways.
The main theme was God call to simplicity and the way our lives become to tanged with different things. We each had a ball of wool to reflect on, and there was an arrangemnt different wool and candles in the centre for us to focus on. I felt that God was saying that during may sabbatical he wanted to unravel the threads of my life, so that some flaws in the pattern could be restored. I wanted this to happen, so I unraveled my ball of wool for a while, and then bound it up tidily at the end - in fervent hope...!!!
I came away partly thinking 'well that wasn't much of a service' and partly realizing that in the silence far more profound things had taken place inside me than would usually happen in a service of worship.
More reflections soon - I have been reading about 'The dark night of the soul', but I need a bit more time to think before I write about it! And I will try to remember my camera next time for a photo of the church I visit!
It was lovely to be at St Mary's! I found myself amongst a varied congregation of over sixty people and sat next to a young man in splendid African dress. The service had a very relaxed, welcoming and had a good inclusive feel, thanks in no small part to the vicar Julian's delightful style. At first a number of people were getting things ready. The number of people present grew steadily - quite a few arriving after the official start of the service.
Our singing was lead by just two people, one with a guitar and the other who sang. This worked well, but I did think how blessed we are with so many musicians and singers at St Paul's. We sang a number of songs using the overhead projector - which always gives the challenge of getting the right verses visible at the right time, but that didn't matter as we were singing songs from the sixties and seventies which people knew well.
Michael Jarratt, a retired vicar, preached a lovely sermon, short, direct and with a very personal feel. He was saying that after Jesus rose from the dead his appearances where specific to people needs who he met, and how we too can meet Jesus in our times of need.
There were lots of children at St Mary's! They stayed with us for the first few songs, and then went out to their classes, returning for a blessing at communion.
The notice sheet was attractive and informative - spread over two sides of an A4 sheet.
The words of the service were in a custom made booklet (like ours) and were used very sparingly, creatively and with a lot of opportunity for us, the congregation, to join in.
The church has chairs arranged like ours and the altar was brought near us for communion. I was impressed that Julian was not at the front on the dais all the time, but moved around us in the service leading from different places. (I wondered if I get a bit tied to my chair at the front.)
It was a really encouraging way to begin my worship away from home!
There is reflective worship in the chapel at Whirlow on the first Sunday of each month at 7.00 pm. There were not that many of us - ten of fifteen, but it had been snowing quite heavily in the previous few hours!
The worship last about forty five minutes and we were given ideas to reflect on, music to listen to and things to do in response, but most of the time we were together in silence meeting with God in our own ways.
The main theme was God call to simplicity and the way our lives become to tanged with different things. We each had a ball of wool to reflect on, and there was an arrangemnt different wool and candles in the centre for us to focus on. I felt that God was saying that during may sabbatical he wanted to unravel the threads of my life, so that some flaws in the pattern could be restored. I wanted this to happen, so I unraveled my ball of wool for a while, and then bound it up tidily at the end - in fervent hope...!!!
I came away partly thinking 'well that wasn't much of a service' and partly realizing that in the silence far more profound things had taken place inside me than would usually happen in a service of worship.
More reflections soon - I have been reading about 'The dark night of the soul', but I need a bit more time to think before I write about it! And I will try to remember my camera next time for a photo of the church I visit!
Tuesday, 1 April 2008
Day 1
Just thought I should mark the day with a post!
My last official engagement at St Paul's was leading Tuesday Communion - and I was really pleased to be there! I spoke about doubts being like worm casts, a sign of something deeper and sometimes far more significant inside us - but I won't repeat the whole lot now.
Ann took a picture of my in my clerical clothes (dog clothes, as we call them - like the collar!!). Just so I can remember what I am supposed to look like! I will have a go at posting it up here.
We all had lunch with my parents, which was a lovely gathering, before James goes off to Cornwall in the next few days on his way back to university.
My great achievement was to book my flights to Dubai - on line! I could even book my seats and managed to get a window seat on the port side so that I can see the sun rise as we fly. I set off on Tuesday afternoon 29th April, arriving in Dubai at 8.00am the next morning. I return on Tuesday 13th May - a day flight this time, so better views.
I just love flying!
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